Who?
by lightning-storm
Summary: On the day of war, Katara muses on a mysterious helper who has been with them since Ba sing se. Blutaraish. Please R&R! It's been three years and I need to know if I should disappear again, or press on. Sugestionscritiques welcome


**Final battle**

**By Lightning-storm**

I don't own Avatar: The Last Bender. This is my first story in three years, and my first on this series. It's mostly based on Katara's point of view. Please R&R

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It was over, Katara thought as she stared at the destruction around. One hundred years of pain, gone. But So many people had died, including, children, adults, farmers, and women from every race, nation and background. Those who were lucky enough to survive had seen enough blood and death for a thousand lifetimes. And then there was the Avatar. Although he was wiser then all, with the knowledge of a thousand lives, he was but a boy. They all were children, too young to see so much, but destined to fight in this merciless war anyway. There was Aang, Sokka, Toph, her, and…Katara stared at the blue clothed figure about 100 feet away. She never saw his face, but she could tell from the countless amount of times he had helped them, that he was young, and strong. Perhaps even handsome, but how was she supposed to know. She never caught him with his devious mask off his face, and She had hardly even heard him speak. The boy was a mystery, an ally from a far, but only afar. If they tried to ask for him to join as their traveling companion, he'd strike at them with the sword or an advanced martial art movement, and then run away.

He spoke once, but only once to say, "he was sorry," Sorry for what? She never knew, but before she could ask, he had once again slipped away. A rogue, a thief who would appear in the night attack the enemy, and promptly fly…or leap away as it may be

Katara remembered when she first met him.

Flashback 

_Katara had gone into the forest to gather wood and berries for the gang. Of course, as fate would have it, she had wandered directly into a fire nation camp. One of the soldiers looked up at her and smiled wickedly. As it turned out they had been sent after Katara and her friend's, for when they had seen her, they recognized her immediately, and attempted to capture her for the fire princess. As any warrior would, Katara immediately reached for her water pouch, but there was nothing there. At first she began to panic, but then she caught sight of a pot of water in the camp. Using her master skills she had managed to pull it towards her and form a whip, but before she could do anything with her newfound weapon someone snuck up behind her and trapped her body and arms against his body, effectively stopping her bending. "Not so strong now, are you…little waterbender." The man had smirked._

_Katara's heart pounded and she struggled to escape from his grip. However, the man was far too strong, and Katara was helpless. As any girl would do when put and such a precarious position, screamed. The man hurriedly put his hand over her mouth, resulting in a nasty bite. "Ug!" the man had exclaimed, and immediately knocked her head to the side. When the man attempted to hit her again, Katara began to fear the worst. She heard a rustling in the trees, and a navy clothed figure dropped from the sky. He had two broadswords in his hand, and swiped the soldiers with his blades. Within moments all the men were down, and with a strong grip, he hauled her up from her grounded position, pointing back to her camp. Seconds later, he had run away. The girl was shocked, but managed to regain her footing and wander into the camp of dead and unconscious soldiers._

_After grabbing a few supplies, she stumbled back to her camp with a dazed look in her eyes and promptly headed towards her sleeping bag. Her friends were wondering what had taken her so long, and how she had managed to get those supplies, but all she could do, was blush._

_The next day Katara had woken up strangely refreshed, as she thought of her wonderful, but frightening 'dream'. She had nearly convinced herself that it had been a dream, but one night, when all was quiet, he appeared once again and usurped yet another fire nation camp. Aang had seen the figure that time, and with a surprised look, ran after him. He returned sad and empty handed and Katara had wondered what was wrong, but instead of answering, he just gave her a smile and began to meditate._

End Flashback 

After that time, the blue spirit appeared often, leaving longing and confusion in his wake. After all, Sometimes he'd fight the fire nation soldiers with them, and then at other's, he'd strike at them. Not seriously, but enough to say, BACK AWAY. Nonetheless, he'd never hurt them, and if one of them were hurt badly enough, he'd even go as far to bring a splint, or towel to fix the broken limb.

Of course it was in the middle of the night, but that didn't matter. It was the thought that mattered. Wasn't it?

Katara sighed and closed her eyes, trying to return her mind to the task at hand. When she looked back towards the blue figure, he had disappeared. After a second she had caught sight of him dodging away, and immediately dropped her task and ran as fast as her legs would take her. She had to know who he was, and why he had helped them.

"Wait! Blue spirit! Wait!"

She called. She had recognized him from the fire nation wanted posters she had seen awhile back. When the boy stopped unexpectantly, Katara smiled.

"Thank you," she managed to whisper into his frightening mask, "Thank you for helping us." The boy went stiff for a second before he bowed his head, and attempted his journey again, blood dripping from a huge slash across his right shoulder and part of his chest.

"Oh my gosh!" Katara exclaimed as she grabbed for his wrist. The boy freed his arm from her grip, but Katara showed him her other hand, and reached for the wound, "May I?" Although he looked torn for a moment, the boy put his head down, and a blue light emitted from Katara's hand.

"What's your name?" She asked once the wound was healed some.

"You already know." Answered the boy. Katara looked at him curiously and he cleared his throat, before gazing off into the distance. "I need to go."

And just like that, the boy was gone once more; leaving Katara baffled and confused as ever. Nonetheless, she knew it was all she can ask of the stranger.

Katara resigned her self to that thought, and looked again at the destruction around her. She felt sick to her stomach. Woman, children, soldiers, and citizens of all nations littered the pristine ground, staining it with an eternal blanket of scarlet. Wailing and despair filled the sky with its ugly face. Many lives had been taken that day, many of them gone before they had a chance to truly live, and so many others were left homeless or orphaned. And for what, all this death and destruction? Had it really been so bad with the fire nation in control? People died, but had there been so many? Katara shook her head and cursed her wicked thoughts. She thought of her mother, and the fear that the fire nation had instilled to the people.

"Why did war have to be so ugly?" she whispered. She settled her self into quiet thoughts, and after what seemed like ages of healing and covering up bodies that been lost, a buzz of excitement spread throughout those around her.

"He has fallen! The demon lord has fallen!"

Katara immediately dropped her task and snapped her head up as these words reached her ears. She looked at the small boy who made the announcement. Is it possible? Was the endless war, finally at its end?

"Is he really gone?" Katara called as she grabbed the young boy's shoulder rather harshly. The boy bit her wrist and shook her off as she did.

"OW!" The two exclaimed in unison, and the boy stumbled back.

"Don't touch me! That hurt!" The boy announced.

Katara apologized before sending him an ungrateful raspberry. He did the same before he crossing his arms, and then opening them wide.

"YES! He's gone!" the boy exclaimed. "A blue masked figure and the avatar combined their strengths and bending powers, and defeated the demon lord and his protectors! I saw! The avatar fought with some great benders and fighters, and even when they were out numbered 100 to 1 they defeated them!" The boy put much force in his movements, emphasizing his exaggeration, but Katara 's joy could not be quelled "You should have seen it! It was like this and that with a bam and a swish and a shing! And then when the armies fell, the blue soldier fell from the ceiling and placed himself directly in front of the avatar and his companions. He readied for a stance with his swords out, and I thought they would fight for sure, but then…"

Katara interest peaked as she heard these words. "He sheathed his swords and made a fire ball in his hand. He gestured for the avatar to follow him! And the avatar did! He nodded his head, and smiled…Almost…almost like he knew the boy, like they were friends."

Katara stopped for a second, when she heard the child's words. A fire bender showed Aang the way, and Aang almost seemed like a friend? Katara thought of the fire benders she and the gang had met along the way. There was Iroh, Kezen, and Jeung Jeung, but none of those fit the lean muscled stature of the boy she admired. Nor did it seem like their style. So who?

She tried to think of someone who seemed to have a similar stature, and after going over her allies, and finding no match, an image of a tall youth and piercing golden eyes danced across her eyes fleetingly. Katara placed her hand over her mouth, as if a dawning had awakened her.

"No." Katara breathed.

With that one word, Katara left her healing to other benders, and hurried to the palace. She wanted to confirm for her self, whether her thoughts of the handsome youth had any truth to it. And as Katara ran, thinking of the rogue, she could hear people speaking of the battle, of magnificent element fights, and warrior attacks they had witnessed that day.

"Did you know…" explained some.

"…The Fire and air combined." Spoke another voice.

"…Enemies became allies…"Katara saw a fire nation citizen take the hand of an opposing nation, and point towards a few of the dai li and other earth benders who had obviously fought one another, "…And allies became enemies."

"But in the end…An enemy is the one who showed us the way…no a fire bender!"

"…Those warriors were so strong! And kind…"

"…And he was so noble! He saved us once, that fire nation boy." A man spoke regretfully.

And the woman next to him sighed. "He couldn't stand that they were oppressing our village...and when we found his fire nation identity, we turned him away…"

Katara's heart sped up for a moment as she heard this. A disgraced hero, how sad for the man, and yet so fitting. Katara blushed momentarily, and thought of what would have happened, if her village had been the one he saved. And, deep down inside, she knew her village would have done the same. All had been taught to hate the fire nation when they were young, and no wonder…they had destroyed the avatar, and started this blasted war. It seemed that everywhere you looked there were fire benders, and where there were fire benders, there was trouble.

It was so easy to believe that no good came from that country, and yet… Katara thought of the good FIRE NATION people she had met. Their number was few, but many of the young children they had come across in the fire nation, once they had infiltrated it, also seemed so naïve and innocent. How could their country be entirely bad?

Iroh had been kind, as well as Kezen. Even Jueng Jueng was, in a strange way. But the young man she thought might be the blue spirit, had attacked when they fought Azula. And it made Katara so angry. It was impossible that he could be kind…unless…

'_I have changed!"_

Katara shook her head and saw the Palace walls so much closer now. If possible, the destruction there, was even more horrible then what she had just left. And as she stumbled over the bodies, many voices flooded Katara's mind with images.

"The avatar and the boy combined lightning, earth, and fire to destroy the fire lord and his most elite officers."

" And when it came to Ozai, they did the same! The avatar blocked the fire lord's breath…"

"And the blue soldier shot lighting and stabbed him straight through the heart!"

"…And that boy," an older Earth soldier sighed, " I would never have guessed…."

"…That the boy had grown so against his nations war…how he had CHANGED"

Katara paused her advance when she heard it, and felt her heart tighten as her memory traveled back in time to Ba Sing se, and her fight beneath the catacombs.

"_I thought you had changed!"_

"_I have changed!"_

"…What an idiot." Katara spoke hesitantly. There was a hint of anger and hurt in her voice as she continued her trek to the heart of the castle. When she arrived, Katara saw as some of their allies held a very injured and shocked looking Ty Lee in hand cuffs. Azula on the ground,rapidly losing life, the fire lord was lying in a pool of his own blood, and Mai looked on flatly in handcuffs. Injured and dead person's littered the floor, and in the middle of the room, she saw Aang standing beside Zuko. Katara's eyes widened and her heart sped up once more, but for a different reason this time. She began to feel tears in her eyes.

"So it was him…" she whispered.

As Katara gave the two a second look, she could tell Aang was sad, and her heart went out to him, but Zuko was the one with a tear sliding down the side of his face. Zuko was the one down on his knees and hunched over his father's limp body. And ZUKO was the one who had caught her attention the most.

The full impact and absurdity of Zuko joining the fight against his father finally hit Katara full on. And whatever anger and hurt she had bottled up inside, dispersed to sorrow. How hard it must have been for the young man. Afterall, here he was, the future king of a nation that was so cruel and torn apart. He had been taught to despise the Avatar and all he stood for, and worship the king and it's nation. And then, he was to turn against this nation, in which his own family ruled with an iron hand, join an enemy, and save a world that despised him. Plus, he was to destroy the man he was taught to fear, love, and revere. How absurd and how difficult it must have been. Katara placed her hand on her chest, as she saw the young prince.

All was filled with a silent tension, until Zuko's once rough and angry voice cut through the thickness with humility and loss.

"… I'm sorry father…" he whispered, "…but I had enough…" after a moment's silence, "...this war had to end…"

Katara felt her heart rate sped up, and she sucked in her breath. So vulnerable did her enemy, no her EX-enemy look in this moment. Instantly, she walked towards the figure, hoping to give him some comfort, to let him know…let him know that he was cared for, that he had done the right thing, but before she could, a bright light filled the room. Katara turned away as the light blinded her temporarily.

When she managed to see again, there was a mix of shock, fear, and surprise mirrored acrosss her face and those of the others in the room. In Aang's place stood Roku, the previous avatar. Zuko looked up from his position with widened eyes, and after a flicker of fire in his eyes, lowered his head, a scowl on his lips. However, Roku himself bent over and picked up the fallen crown, before walking over to the broken youth.

"Prince Zuko." The boy did not look up, " Zuko!" Again the boy did not look up. "Son of the fire lord," Zuko pursed his lips and looked at the avatar standing in front of him.

"Zuko," The Avatar said as he placed a warm hand on the boy's shoulder, "You have earned your Country's honor back, and finally proved faithful to your own. Now young prince, I have a question to ask you."

"What…what might that be." He said in a slightly disagreeable tone.

"Do you know WHY the fire lord hated you so much? Why he wanted you killed, and why your sister always mocked you?"

Zuko was quiet as if thinking, but then…"Does it matter?" he said feigning disinterest, " I was weak, a failure, I didn't have the natural talent like Azula."

The Avatar gave the young prince a cool look. "Nor did I," he said firmly, " When I was young, I was weak, hardly a child of talent. Yet with practice, determination, and undeterred will to succeed, I became the strongest bender, and mastered all the elements."

The boy looked at him, interested. "What?"

"Young prince, natural talent does not determine how successful you will become, but discipline, self-control, and constant training does. Your lack of self-control and confusion of where you true path lie had kept you back before, but once you were able to master that, you were able to master the element. However, that is a story for another day."

"For now, there's a secret you must know."

Zuko said nothing in response.

"Prince Zuko, long ago it was written that you along with the avatar, would topple the Fire nation Empire." The prince looked at the Avatar Roku with a look of surprise in his eyes.

" Ah so you didn't know, of course not, they destroyed nearly all the fire nation documents in a great and ancient library. That's because the fire nation knew, they all knew that if you survived, and were in the fire nation territory, ONE day you would become nearly as strong as the avatar himself, and bring the empire toppling down. It was written in the stars of long ago."

Everyone gasped at this info, while Zuko looked at the man in disbelief, "What are you talking about?" he nearly hissed.

"Long ago, in this great library, a battle was awakened, and all the fire nation documents were burned to the crisp. Save one and this said. "When day becomes night, and all that is feared is a blackened sun, an heir shall be born. With royal blood, and golden eyes, this shall be cursed until he find's the one born of the cosmic sky. Yin and yang, opposites, yet similar, foe's, yet allies. A deadly dragon and a powerful spirit, shall strike as one, and destroy a darkened age that has no end."

With that the previous avatar placed the fallen crown on the boy's head, "Prince Zuko" the man said slowly, "Fulfiller of prophecy, hero of the nation's, and fire lord of the new age, look around you. These are your people, now. They need to know this endless war has passed. They need to know that the once feared and ferocious fire nation is no more. They need to know that you shall give them justice, and peace.

The boy looked at all the eager and curious faces. Many of these people were broken, like him. For so long they had lived under his father's rule, and now how could he fix the damage? He was only one. Scorned as the fire lord's son, and by all the other's. What could he do?

His molten eyes fell upon his enemies. All were bent one knee, acknowledging him for his position. For a moment, he was tempted to spit and turn his back; yet when the water bender rose her crystal blue eyes to him, he was stuck. She had offered him kindness. She had chased after him when she didn't know who he was, and she had showed him love. He felt sick in his stomach now, wondering when he had been turned against them so much

Zuko looked at the other members of the group. All had become heroes, like him self. All were leaders in their tribes, and all were from the different nations. He moved his face to the side. Could they…Zuko shook his head. The very idea of them working with him was preposterous, and it made him angry, and hurt.

"With what am I to unite this world that hates me so much?" He spat, already somehow knowing, but also fearing the answer to that question.

"Lord Zuko," scolded Avatar Roku "Open your eyes, see beyond the past and look to the future." Zuko looked around again, and put his eyes on Katara, Toph, Sokka, and Katara again. She smiled slightly, and he began to think how ridiculous he could be to doubt those honest seeing and then turning to Toph, and unseeing eyes.

"Is it really so hard to believe that people will stand behind you," spoke Roku, in amore sensitive tone, "When you the son of their worst nightmare, has saved them from that same nightmare."

Inside Zuko knew Roku was right, but Zuko shook his head with more determination, "You can't gain trust overnight, and what of the people who were loyal to my father." He said with a light tremble.

"That may be true," Roku said once again, and his light flickered until Aang appeared and toppled over. Zuko caught him. "But," Aang spoke, "I'm the Avatar, and I once asked you that if things were different, if we could be friends? You have proven that we can," the boy looked up into Zuko's face, and sat back on his legs, "The war is over now. And you helped me fulfill the prophecy as I knew you could, although I wasn't a hundred percent sure, until after Ba sing se, when Iroh said you saved Appa from his prison."

There was a sad tone a cross his face when Aang remembered the general who had died in the last battle of the fire nation. He pushed that thought in the back of his mind, and pulled himself in an upright position. "I would be glad to help you restore the kingdoms."

Katara then stepped forward and put her hand on Zuko's shoulder, "As would I."

Toph spat on the floor and crossed arms, "Well I guess I owe you for ending this damn thing," she exclaimed. "Besides, it might be fun to shake some boots." Sokka however, seemed less willing to compromise, and stood stark still with his head pointed away.

Suki, the girl he had loved and rescued from a horrible prison in their last battle, stepped forward to speak when Sokka opened his mouth in place of her.

"Well I'm not involved. No way, no how. I don't care if he did help end the war! That hardly counts for all the times he tried to kill us! I mean, how do we know he won't become like his father and do the same thing. He's fire nation! For god's sake."

"Stop being so stubborn, Sokka!" Suki exclaimed, as she realized Sokka was going to let his hard headedness get in the way of reason. "He's the prophecy fullfiller, remember?"

"Prophecy, smophecy, I didn't see no stinken prophecy."

"Sokka!" Suki spoke with a slight growl, and picked up her fans in a semi dangerous manner. "Do I have to…"

"He saved my life," stated Aang. "The fire nation caught me when you were sick, and he broke me out of their cell."

Sokka was quiet for a minute, then "That's great Aang, but…"

"But? Don't your remember when he and Iroh joined us in the fight against Azula?" Aang spoke again. And Sokka grunted in recognition.

"But," Sokka stated, "then he betrayed us in Ba Sing se."

Zuko flinched at that mention. Ba Sing Se was obviously something he didn't want to recall. He had had betrayed his uncle after all, plus the world's hope had almost been destroyed, and he was indirectly to blame. And then the man he betrayed, a haunted look crossed Zuko's face as he thought of his uncle's final day. In the last battle, the man had died at the hands of his father and sister.

"Maybe so," Katara spoke sadly as she remembered that day, and the kind general. "But after Ba sing se he helped us from afar, and before then, "He had saved an entire Earth kingdom village."

"What?" Asked Sokka. "How do you know that?"

"Didn't you here the word buzzing around camp?" Katara asked. "A little boy was spreading it throughout the battlefield once the fire lord was destroyed."

"Oh."

"I remember hearing that too," stated Toph, "Was that you?"

Zuko remained silent and bowed his head.

Sokka paused for a moment before he looked at his closest companions. He said nothing, and crossed his arms.

"Plus he saved my life. That should count for something!" exclaimed Katara when she realized he wasn't buying it. She hadn't yet told them about the forest incident, and everyone looked at her in surprise.

"When?" Sokka spoke with surprise and curiousity.

"Um well," getting flustered. There was a slight blush on her face. "Remember that time when I was gone for in the Forest for a long while."

Everyone nodded in recognition.

"It was because I came across some fire nation. They had tried to attack me when I was gathering fruit. I didn't have my water with me, and thought I would be doomed. Zuko, well I didn't know it was Zuko at the time, but he…" If possible, Katara's face was nearly as bright as the red walls around her, "He fell from the trees and beat them all. He pointed me back to the camp, and dropped some needed supplies on his way out."

Sokka took in this unexpected news, and seemed to finally accept it, but then… "You mean was SPYING on us? How can we trust him."

Suki slapped her forehead with her palm.

"Sokka?" four voices scorned, "Don't you want this world to be united again, I mean at least as united as it can be?"

Sokka sulked to the ground. He did want peace, and knew he should give the guy a chance. Before he agreed too it though, he dropped his weapon. "Fine" he said in an exasperated tone, " but ONLY until this whole mess gets stabilized again. And after that it's back to our home and there will be no mention of this to anyone, if they haven't already found out."

Katara, Aang, and Suki's faces lit up. "De-" The three were promptly cut off.

" But" Sokka scolded, " if your wrong and he turns against us, I'm blaming you! And I won't show him any mercy!"

Zuko bristled at the insult and attempted to force his way up from the floor, but Katara and Aang pushed him back and put their hands out between the little crew that they had formed. The others soon joined them, and after a minute, Katara took the hand of the fire nation warrior and encouraged him to join. The young man looked unsure, but then followed her silent request. As Katara and the Avatar smiled, the corners of the hardened youth's firmly set lips lifted in the slightest twitch.

"…Alright," the scarred, but handsome warrior spoke, and the six shook hands firmly.

"Thank you Sokka," Suki exclaimed after they broke apart, and kissed the water nation warrior gleefully. After hearing a slight applause, Suki blushed and looked at the hopeful faces around her. Things were finally looking up.


End file.
